New Ulm weekly review., 1887-10-26

SAA1a0. - ASOOo, n AMhAdS4uSS AsuANVA
Wednesday, October 26, 1887.
THE SIGNAL SERVICE.
Gen. Greety IN HIS An1tatttz Be
port EnpItsins aOIsy u Larger
Percentage Of the indications
Has Not Been Terrified.
Gen. A. w. Greely, chief signal Off
Ger, in his annual report calls attention
to the old cumbersome method Of sig
nal in use in the army, and the need Of
improved methods and more general in
struction of army men therein. He
thinks carrier pigeons should be trained
for carrying intelligence from war yes.
sells. Concerning weather forecasts, he
says:
He has been unable so far to accede
to the sergeant's request to furnish spe.
cial predictions for cities. towns and
corporations owing to the short time
elapsing between the receipt of the tele-
graph report and the sending out of
general predictions. He hopes, how.
ever, during the ensuing year to make
arrangements which, in addition to
providing the Northwest with more ac-
curate warnings from cold waves will
also furnish the great centers of popu-
lation with special predictions. The in
crease in the length of hours in daily in
dications has naturally resulted in q
decreased percentage of yerifcation,
the diminution amounting to 7 per cent
but it is believed that time may be COM
pensated for by increased skill and
practice. It has been q subject of COM
plant that the predictions have not im-
proved to the extent expected. Such is
not fact. Within the last three or
four years the relief of old officers de-
tailed from the line of the army has
been forced upon the chief signal officer
by legislative action. In consequence
it followed that young officers, who on.
" in the past year or two received an
extended instruction in meteorology
have been assigned to this important
duty. Through restrictive Legislation
the chief signal officer finds himself
compelled to permit new officers to
serve an apprenticeship in predicting at
tie expense Of the whole country. The
general percentage of successful indica-
tions during the year has been: For
weather, 7475; wind 69.1 temperature,
74.4; general average 1879. This result
is not satisfactory to the chief signal
officer. During the year. there have
been l,5l0 storm signals ordered, o1
which 1,O54, or 68.5 per cent, have
been verified. This percentage is the
lowest for years. The bureau has in
view the early display of signals which
!. will not only indicate whether storm
will be light or severe, but whether the
winds are to come from a special quar-.
UC1, VI WuOCuC1 UuC SCOl LII C0uGCE IS dp-
preaching or has passed a station. In
order to meet the the needs of the
Northwest, the chief signal officer has
under the consideration plan of sta
tioning an indication officer at St. Pau
MINI. This would enable that Officer
to receive reports upon an average ar
hour earlier than in Washington, ane
further enable him to send out warning
cold waves in that section two to fv,
hours earlier than now. OF the COLI
wave signals sent out, 77.6 per cent wer,
verified. He closed with a plea for
regular organizasion Of a corps com
prising besides the chief signal officer
one major, six first lieutenants, tw
I professors and two Junior professors
with civilian clerical forces.